Fair and impartial application of laws is the basis of our society. Each elected official is responsible to enforce and follow the law. The Travis County district attorney broke the law and engaged in deplorable behavior that resulted in a harsh first-offense penalty for DUI. The Public Integrity Unit should not be headed by someone that not only pleaded guilty to DUI with a .239 blood alcohol level, but was so aggressive that she was restrained with handcuffs and leg irons.

Our governor was within his authority and right on the issue when he vetoed funding for her unit. This is not the first time that a Travis County DA has used criminal charges against political opponents, but it needs to be the last. The charges against Gov. Perry need to be dropped, and the Travis County DA’s office needs a change of leadership.

Zan Prince, Weatherford

‘Political theatrics’

Gov. Rick Perry was quoted as saying, “We don’t settle political differences with indictments in this country,” calling the action “political theatrics.”

Yet, this is exactly what what House Republicans are doing by having voted to sue, and eventually perhaps even impeach, President Obama. The difference between the two cases is that President Obama never did anything wrong, while Perry is on his way to getting a mug shot and standing trial on felony charges. How ironic is that?

Larry Baron, Dallas

Red herring

Attorney General Greg Abbott said he doesn’t know what to make of Perry’s indictment, stating he was just exercising the veto power the Texas Constitution affords the governor. This is simply misleading, and Abbott knows better.

A special prosecutor saw enough evidence of coercion to convene a grand jury and get an indictment. It is remarkable that the attorney general would even speak out about the indictment before the case goes to court and the evidence is made public.

Implying that Perry was indicted for coercion by vetoing a funding bill he didn’t like is a red herring, but it appears the far right, including Abbott, is rallying around this talking point.

Vetoing a funding bill you don’t like is not coercion or abuse of office. However, vetoing a funding bill to drive a DA who is investigating you out of office, and then stating he would restore funding once the DA is gone, is coercion, clear and simple.

I feel this second headline is as serious an indictment of Perry’s leadership as governor as the first. The story about workers says, “Government and industry here have invested little in safety equipment, training and inspections, researchers say, and Texas is one of the toughest places to organize unions, which can promote safety.” Unionized workers can speak up about unsafe working conditions without fear of losing their jobs.

It also says: “Texas, like 25 other states, has no occupational safety inspection agency.” And it quotes Perry as saying, “The Texas construction industry flourishes in the state’s business friendly climate. ... Let free enterprise reign, and be wary of overregulation. All that regulation adds to your overhead, and you can’t operate at a profit.”

It’s true regulation adds to overhead, but I believe little or no regulation adds to a toll in human lives lost or seriously injured. This is just one of the ways I feel Perry’s leadership has failed the people of Texas.